Review Date - 12/17/2013
The Expobar Brutus IV-R, wow, what a beautiful machine. My Brutus displaced an Expobar Pulsar. I didn’t think the difference would be so great given the similar design. The Brutus is exponentially better in all the right places. Let’s take them one at a time.
Style
The Brutus has acres of chrome. This machine shines from top to bottom. The only black plastic is on the lever and the knobs f ... read more

Overall Product Rating

Review Date - 07/21/2012
OK, let me start by saying that this is all my brother's fault. He owns a string of coffee stores, and when I bought a super automatic machine to make great coffee at home, he told me I would be disappointed, and he was right. He told me to stop wasting money on bells and whistles and buy an espresso machine for the boiler and to be sure to buy an Italian boiler. Period. Just that. He said th ... read more

Overall Product Rating

Review Date - 07/28/2014
I've used a Giaggia with a bras boiler for over 25 years with no issues except that the warm up time between espresso & cappuccino was not great. Only parts I replaced ever were the gasket once and the steam knob. Still works fine and makes good espresso & cappuccino so I gave it to my friend as his first espresso maker. As much as I enjoyed the Gaggia, there is no comparison between the semi- ... read more

Overall Product Rating

Review Date - 07/05/2013
I have had this machine for a year now and I have waited to give a review because I wanted a good length of time before providing my thoughts.
It is simple to use. But, the instructions are AWFUL for someone who has never had an espresso machine. Someone would never be able to figure out how to clean it unless they already knew or watched a video.
Mine also broke. The reservoir is not ... read more

Overall Product Rating

Review Date - 06/16/2014
You can't fake quality. We are impressed at how heavy and solid this machine is. Having a boiler made of copper has proven to be a key feature, giving us consistent and hot temps that extract max flavor from the bean. The printed manual was sparse/incomplete but the Whole Latte staff was awesome about filling in the blanks. We are now huge Expobar fans! ... read more

Overall Product Rating

Review Date - 11/30/2013
So I'm 44 now and the Expobar I first bought hear 10 years ago is still going strong!! I finally had something go out that I couldn't service (or didn't feel comfortable with my level of quality), so she went into the shop. It was an excrutiating 5 month period of waiting because the part had to come from Europe, and they were out there too! 10 years of espresso and latte as an afterthought and ... read more

Overall Product Rating

Review Date - 07/12/2014
Almost 10 years ago I bought my Expobar Office Pulser. It was my first REAL espresso machine and it has served me very well. I use it every day. One problem is that it is big and heavy. When we go to our fishing cabin I have to suffer with an old one cup device with no frothed milk. Solution: Much like me, my old Pulser is not as pretty as used to be, so now I've purchased a new Expobar Office ... read more

Overall Product Rating

Review Date - 10/18/2014
I have been using the v2 for about 7 years now never had a problem except when I forgot to turn off the machine. After a little research and undoing a couple screws I found the reset switch and it has been working perfectly ever since. I roast my own coffee and admit that when I try a new blend or roast profile it might take a day or two to dial in the grind and tamp again. But in no time I hav ... read more

Overall Product Rating

Review Date - 09/16/2013
I got this machine because of the two pumps. Honestly it took some additional info to get it working at the level I wanted. But, since then it has been great. Easy to use, good design and produces great coffee over and over. ... read more

Review Date - 10/20/2014
I've had mine for 18yrs and have done some repairs. The relief valve just went so I decided to buy a new one (yes I'll repair the old one and pass it on). I don't think you can beat this machine. The reliability is tremendous (it went 15yrs before I started to pay her some attention) and it espresses a great shot. I live in FL where the water quality is horrible (I double filter but no way all the ... read more

Overall Product Rating

Review Date - 01/11/2014
I purchased two of these machines along with two grinders, one for myself and one as a gift. Excellent machine for less-experienced baristas! Love the push buttons, appearance, quality, and it makes great espresso shots with plenty of crema. Frothing with the included pannarello wand is excellent for cappuccino; for latte, I ordered the latte art wand. Filter handle/basket are professional qual ... read more

Overall Product Rating

Review Date - 10/21/2014
I've owned a couple of Gaggia Classic machines previously and the New Baby offers the same internals (pump, boiler, group head, steam valve) as the Classic at a lower price. If you're into gimmicks like timers, automatic settings etc. this is not the machine for you... but if you want to produce rich, strong espresso with great crema and silky smooth milk then the New Baby is everything you need.
... read more

Overall Product Rating

Review Date - 10/12/2014
We bought this machine in the Spring of 2008. It is extremely durable. While it certainly isn't smart, I have used and abused this machine. I use it every morning. It has never been descaled. I only use tap water and I have accidentally left it on all day several times.
Using the machine does take some expiramentation. I have to use very finely ground coffee, such as pre-ground Lavazza to get ... read more

Overall Product Rating

Review Date - 08/29/2013
Just a little background: I've been into espresso for a little over three years now. I've owned the Rancilio Silvia, Gaggia Classic, Pasquini Livia 90, and the list goes on. This machine was my first purchase, for $80 used on ebay. Compared to all the other machines I own and have used, this pulls the best shots hand down. I don't know why, but I could use the same exact beans / grinder and ge ... read more

Overall Product Rating

Review Date - 02/16/2013
Overall, a well built upgrade to my first espresso machine, a Mr. Coffee ECMP50. If you make the transition from a pressurized, small diameter portafilter to that of a 58mm, commercial non-pressurized unit, be prepared to work for a good shot initially. After you get an idea for how the tamp pressure ought to feel and you dial in your grind size, this is a fantastic starter or initial upgrade fr ... read more